Rowan University President Dr. Ali Houshmand (left) receives one of the pens Governor Chris Christie used to sign a higher education restructuring bill at Rutgers-Camden, Wednesday, August 22, 2012. (Staff Photo by Tim Hawk/Gloucester County Times)Tim Hawk / South Jersey Times

One of the next items on a long to-do list between Rowan University and Rutgers University-Camden following the signing of a higher education restructuring bill is to form a joint board to oversee the creation and future of the College of Health Sciences.

The universities have until July 1, 2013, to create the board and rearrange the other properties they inherited under new legislation, formally known as the New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Restructuring Act.

The governing body will consist of two members from Rutgers-Camden’s Board of Advisors, two members from Rowan’s Board of Trustees and three members that will be appointed by Gov. Chris Christie.

But there’s no telling how soon that or anything else will happen, according to spokesmen from both institutions.

Besides having formed a collaboration to establish the new college, the bi-partisan measure called for Rowan University to absorb the School of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Stratford.

Rowan also gained a research university designation.

In the same deal, the rest of UMDNJ would be dismantled and merged into Rutgers University.

The integration process for both schools, however, is proving to be a delicate one that will take an indefinite amount of time to complete, Rutgers-Camden spokesman Mike Sepanic said.

“Clearly, we’re talking. There’s a lot of talk and it’s good, but there’s still a lot of preliminary stuff to work through,” Sepanic said. “There’s a lot of reason to be optimistic, though.”

According to Sepanic, aside from gaining a medical school — which Rutgers hasn’t had since the 1970s — Rutgers-Camden has the chance to establish more autonomy as a campus, both administratively and financially.

Most recently, the Rutgers Boards of Governors and Trustees unanimously voted to approve the necessary changes previously outlined in the historic legislation.

“It’s all a huge undertaking,” said Rowan University spokesman Joe Cardona. “There are a couple things being considered right now. Rowan President Dr. Ali Houshmand has met with Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Wendell Pritchett several times.”

Before the formal partnership with Rutgers-Camden had even been in place, Rowan was already on the rise in the medical world, having collaborated with The Cooper Health System to form the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

The purpose of the legislation — initially a controversial plan to fold Rutgers-Camden’s campus into Rowan — was to strengthen higher education within the region, remain competitive with the rest of the world and to provide a higher caliber of academic opportunities to South Jersey residents.

Both institutions, according to Cardona and Sepanic, are diligently working to ensure a smooth transition by next year and are discussing additional ways to partner.